⁴𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐃, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

002-the pep rally

DESPITE HER LACK OF SLEEP, CARLA STILL WENT TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY.

It was the last day before spring break—six more hours and she'd be free to do whatever the hell she wanted for a week, free of homework and school bound assignments.

Carla didn't entirely hate school—she kept up with grades and assignments without any fights with teachers, she got to hang around with Robin in her free periods, she had an entire period dedicated to herself where she could work on college shit instead of wasting her personal free time doing so—but she can't lie and say the past week hasn't felt like a drag to her; and she's sure the rest of Hawkins High would agree with her.

She was exhausted and was easily ready to get a break.

The Wheeler girl was currently in the passenger seat of Steve's BMW, eyes trailing out the window as they drove to Robin Buckley's house—given the girl didn't have a license, she relied on Steve for rides, which Carla was more than okay with—watching as they passed by different fields of flowers.

After befriending the girl during the summer, senior year had given Carla more time to socialize and grow a bond with Robin. While they clearly had their opposites—for starters Robin had a giant mouth and never stopped ranting while the Wheeler was more on the quiet side; which is why Jonathan Byers had been her best friend—Robin had proven to be a pretty decent friend, and study partner.

Without Jonathan, Carla didn't really have a main friend to walk the halls with or study, but Robin was quick to fill that spot, finding the Wheeler on the first day of the school year and rambling on about something before Carla could even talk. 

Since then, Carla would classify her as one of her closest friends—minus Nancy and the kids, she was really the only person who the Wheeler talked to during the school day. 

Robin must have silently agreed, because back in January, she finally felt comfortable telling Carla Wheeler that she was a lesbian.

Carla hadn't cared—of course she hadn't. Not when she was sure she'd stared at girls more than once in her own life, too. She'd hugged Robin, she'd told her it was okay and reassured her that it wouldn't change anything about them. And, it hadn't. 

"Any assignments over break?" 

Carla turns away at the start of conversation, looking at Steve as she takes a second to process what the he'd said before shaking her head, "No. Thank God." 

Senior year had been.....stressful on Carla, to say the least. 

After a bit of contemplation, she'd finally determined that she wanted to major in medicine and pursue a career as some kind of doctor or physician. Helping people was her thing—it made sense that she did something that was helpful to others.

Besides, after helping out with many injuries, she was very well educated on the human body. Why not put her knowledge to good use.

But, with that, came lots of work and the need to study if Carla wanted a decent chance of passing her final exams and getting into a mediocre college,  as well as a medical school in her near future. 

If she doesn't, she's sure she'll just stay here in Hawkins. Like everyone else in this town who promised themselves they'd 'get out someday.', too. 

"It's that bad, huh?" Steve already knew the answer to that question. He'd been the one who had to force her to go to sleep, or come back to sleep, for that matter, finding her working on school work of all sorts till past midnight; who made sure she actually ate a meal instead of having a light snack to keep working.